Family Reunion
by SJO
Summary: The Professor is kidnapped, and only a special relative can help the girls find him. You probably already know who.
1. The Plan

Family Reunion  
  
A Powerpuff Girl/Samurai Jack Fanfic by SJO  
  
Chapter 1: The Plan  
  
The City of Townsville, and it's a beautiful spring day. All the people are enjoying the lovely day with one of their favorite activities. Flying kites? Fishing? Taking a walk and smelling the flowers? Of course not! It's Spring-Cleaning Day, and everyone wants to make sure that each room in the house is spotless.  
  
Whoa! Looks like our girls are doing a little spring-cleaning of their own!  
  
  
  
The girls were fighting their daily monster, some kind of a dragon that could breathe fire. Nothing really new, except Buttercup was filled with some kind of new vigor. She was screaming in all kinds of "Hoo-wah! Ha!" and doing more kung fu and karate than usual to fight. Blossom put her, um, arms on her hips.  
  
"Buttercup, were you up last night again?"  
  
"Yeah. I couldn't resist! It was all Jackie Chan movies. You know I'm not doing it for me, I'm doing it for the team, to learn new moves!"  
  
"But it's more important for you get some sleep!" Bubbles argued.  
  
"They don't show Japanese and other Oriental movies during the day!"  
  
The monster roared.  
  
"No time for this now. Let's finished the monster." And with a few well- done strategies, they do.  
  
  
  
So, once again, the day is saved! But wait! Unbeknownst to them, someone is closely watching our girls. Oh no, it can't be! Not him! He's not even in this show!  
  
"WILL YOU SHUT UP?!? I'M TRYING TO CONCENTRATE!!!!!"  
  
Oh, forgive me, Lord Aku.  
  
Aku stared hard at the girls at the wall, and he sneered as he thought aloud. "Those girls. Those good, little girls. The ones who are standing between me and the pearl of the earth." The picture changed to reveal an American flag. "Home of the free. How easily have I enslaved the free? How easily have crushed the good and left nothing of the human spirit? Yet, why is it when I try to smite this land that something stands in my way? Something keeps burning me, something so strong that if I cross the line I would be destroyed! It is the goodness and love that lives in so many of their miserable hearts. Those girls are to blame."  
  
It just so happened that at that moment Aku heard a creepy, ghostly, high voice coming from the door. "Knock knock, Aku!"  
  
Aku turned in anger. "WHO DARES INTRUDE ON--oh, it's you Mephi--"  
  
The visitor shook his claw at Aku. "Ah ah ah! Most people just call me Him."  
  
"I am more powerful, more evil, and craftier than you. Why should I blush to say your name, Me--"  
  
"Now you listen to me!" The villain suddenly grew bigger and looked Aku in the eye, "You maybe more powerful, more evil, and craftier than me, but I have direct orders, and NOONE says MY NAME except ME! You have to sell your soul in order to say my name!"  
  
"Oh, very well, have it your way. Now, you tell me now, how is it that you practically live in America, when I can't even touch it?"  
  
"What? Had you not tried on 9-11?"  
  
"Oh, I did try! But by the time I had everything planned, the American Spirit rose like a phoenix out of the ashes of tragedy, and it was once again too strong for me."  
  
"I know your predicament, great Aku. That is why I have come to help you. There is a way of getting to the girls."  
  
"And what is that?"  
  
"The Professor."  
  
Aku grabbed Him and slammed Him on the wall. "Do not speak in riddles to me! Tell me, what professor?"  
  
"I am surprised, Lord Aku. You do not watch the girls as closely as you say, or else you would know their creator."  
  
"You are right. I only watch their fighting; I do not pay attention to their personal lives. Do they not have secret identities or anything?"  
  
"Nope. It's easy to keep tabs on them all the time. Let me show you this professor." He made a picture appear in the wall of Professor Utonium.  
  
Aku examined it closely. "I do not understand. I have never seen him before, but I know that face. Where is he from?"  
  
Then it pulled together. In Aku's mind's eye, he saw the professor glare. His neat lab coat turned into a samurai robe, and he pulled out a sword. "AKUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!" he screamed.  
  
Aku yelled and smashed the image with his fist. "No wonder! It's a reincarnation!"  
  
Him was shocked. "No such thing exists."  
  
"Well, there must be some connection. We will find this professor and destroy him!"  
  
"Why don't we just kidnap him first to lure the girls here and destroy him in one bit."  
  
"Oh yes, of course. You are much craftier than I thought you were. Finally, I shall rid myself of two great grievances, and the world shall be mine!"  
  
(Yes, I know you've heard it before. Icekings did an excellent story about the Professor Utonium/Samurai Jack parallels. Some of this might turn out to be similar, but I promise that I am not stealing his ideas. I thought of most of this story to console me through 9-11. I'm hoping a lot of this will turn out different. So please stick with me in this story. Hope you enjoy it.) 


	2. Secrets in the Attic

Chapter 2: Secrets in the Attic  
  
Meanwhile, the girls head back to their home in victory . . .  
  
  
  
"Welcome home girls!" the Professor called from upstairs. "Hey, can you come up here and help me clean up the attic?"  
  
The girls looked up and saw a strange door in the ceiling with a ladder coming down from it. They had never noticed it before.  
  
"We've never been allowed up there," Blossom said.  
  
"It's so dark and scary up there!" Bubbles shrieked.  
  
"Don't worry, girls," the Professor answered. "I got plenty of lamps, and since I'm up here I will make sure nothing will hurt you."  
  
"OK!" Blossom and Bubbles said together and quickly flew up.  
  
"Do we have to?" Buttercup whined.  
  
"Well, Buttercup, I don't suppose you HAVE to, but--"  
  
"SEE YA!" She flew straight to the couch and turned on the TV. She put in the tape of the last Bruce Lee movie she had recorded from a few nights ago. For a long time, she just sat there, mesmerized by the plot, but when he was in action, she did the martial arts movies right along with them.  
  
In a very crucial part of the movie, Blossom suddenly shouted, "BUTTERCUP! COME UP HERE, QUICK! YOU GOT TO SEE THIS!''  
  
"Can't it wait?"  
  
"Well, it could, but I think you'll want to see it now."  
  
"Awwwwe, ok." She put the movie on pause and flew up, sulking. "Alright, what dumb thing do you have to--whoa!!!!!!!"  
  
It was an elaborate tapestry that looked centuries old but still had brilliant colors. The tapestry had pictures of a samurai holding a silver sword and taking on an Oriental dragon. It was hard to tell who was winning, but the story and emotions it communicated remained incredible.  
  
"Ohwowohwowohwowohwowohwow!" Buttercup exclaimed.  
  
"Isn't it cool?" Blossom mused.  
  
"And he looks so much like the Professor!" Bubbles said.  
  
"Well, I don't know. That could be just a coincidence."  
  
"Who cares?" Buttercup said. "We have real Japanese art, and that means the Professor is interested in Japanese stuff!" She flew over to the Professor as quick as a flash. "Professor, tell us everything about this! Who is it? Where did you get it?"  
  
The Professor was a little irked since he was going through his old record collection, but he came over and looked at it anyway. His face immediately lit up. "Oh my. I almost forgot about this!"  
  
"What is this, Professor?" Blossom asked.  
  
"Girls, the man in this tapestry is your Great-great-great-great-great- great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great- great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great- great-great-great-great- (pause for deep inhale)-great-great-great-great- great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great- great-great-great . . . great-great-great . . . great-grandfather!"  
  
"Wow. He must have been a really great guy," Bubbles said.  
  
"Oh, from what I understand, he was."  
  
"I don't get it, Professor," Blossom mused. "How can he be our ancestor? You're not even Japanese!"  
  
"Actually, Blossom, I'm one-eighth Japanese, which would make you girls one- sixteenth!"  
  
"But how can that--"  
  
But Bubbles interrupted. "Wow! We're related to a real-life samurai! Tell us everything you know about him, Professor! Do you have any of his diaries or know of his adventures?"  
  
"Slow down, sweetheart. I'm afraid I only know one story about him, but I'll be glad to tell it to you."  
  
The girls sat down and looked at the professor intently.  
  
"Actually, I first heard it the day I saw this tapestry for the first time. I was just a kid. This was before I saw you girls and got interested in science. I was all into monsters and pirates and everything all little boys liked. We had gone to visit my great-grandfather, but I wasn't interested. I was fighting an imaginary battle with a monster in the house. I was knocking down stuff and being a pest. I hid in a small room from this monster in my head when I saw the tapestry hanging on the wall. 'Whoa!' was all I could say. I just stared at it and took in every detail. Grandpa came in some time later. 'What is this cool thing, daddio?'  
  
"He answered, 'That, my son, is your ancestor. We only know him as the Lost Son of the Emperor.'  
  
"'Wow,' I said.  
  
"He continued, 'Yes. This man was destined to defeat a dark force that destroyed his village. When he was your age, he was training all around the world, learning to be strong, wise, and gentle-hearted so that he could be the perfect warrior against the evil force.'  
  
"'And I bet when he grew up, he came back and that monster didn't stand a chance!' I threw punches in the air, but Grandpa put his hands on my shoulders and made me still.  
  
"'Actually, he did come back to his village, and he was a strong warrior. Yet, when he went to defeat the evil force, he disappeared. He was never heard of again.'  
  
"I couldn't believe it. The good guy lost? 'And what about the dark force?'  
  
"'He still lives on. That is why I came here because he has not tried to conquer this place. Do not feel sad, my son. If you have a good heart, I believe you will see that the spirit of the samurai lives on in you.'  
  
"'Wow. I'll do my best!'  
  
"'From that day on, I so much wanted to be that samurai. So, I took karate. I was terrible. I gave up the dream for quite a while, but I never forgot his legacy. Even if his spirit isn't in me, I am certain he lives in you."  
  
"But Professor, he does live in you!" Bubbles retorted. "Look at him!"  
  
"Yes, Bubbles, I know. My Japanese heritage does tend to show. You know, I got all interested in this story again when Grandpa passed away and willed the tapestry to me. I wondered if his story was true, and I wondered who he was and what happened to him. Anyhow, I did some shopping around. Believe it or not, I found several artifacts or facsimiles of artifacts from all around the world that showed a Japanese boy trying to learn their ways. I collected them for years, and I bet they're all still up here. Why don't you girls see if you can find them and put them neatly in this corner over here? Then, we'll see if we can solve some of the mysteries together."  
  
"Cool!" Buttercup said. "Let's go girls! This maybe our most important assignment ever!"  
  
  
  
Hmmm, something tells me you girls are going to solve the mysteries sooner than you think . . . 


	3. 'Ruff Future

Chapter 3: 'Ruff Future  
  
The City of--NEW Townsville?!? What happened to the old one?  
  
Well, whatever's going on, this place sure has seen better days. Looks like they got a visitor . . .  
  
  
  
He was just passing through, another small stop on his quest to find home. This place had indeed gone through terrible times. There was graffiti everywhere, and everything looked so old and beaten up. The place was a ghost town; he wondered if anybody was living here anymore. He looked at the scenery with a heart full of sadness. This, no doubt, was the work of Aku.  
  
He did not even notice the strange house and the sign outside, "Historical Landmark--Birthplace and Childhood Home of the Powerpuff Girls." He walked right by the statue of three girls flying in a shower of stars outside Town Hall. He must press on unless he meets the source of this destruction.  
  
"Hey you!" a voice called out from nowhere.  
  
The visitor grabbed the hilt of his sword and turned around. He still could not see anyone. "Who is there?"  
  
"Never mind," the voice called back. "You are in great danger! Get out while you can!"  
  
"What is this danger? I am not afraid!" The voice would not answer. So, the source of this destruction was still here. The visitor drew his sword and watched. As he turned again, he saw three small boys standing at his feet. One wore all red, one wore all blue, and one wore all green.  
  
"Well, well, well," the boy in red said. "If it isn't Samurai Jack."  
  
"We've heard a lot about you," the blue boy added.  
  
"It makes it all the more interesting to meet you," the boy in green concluded.  
  
Jack sheathed his sword and knelt down to their eye level. "Little ones, do you know of this danger?"  
  
The boys all giggled. "Oh yeah," the boy in red answered.  
  
"All too well," the boy in green nodded.  
  
"Where can I find it?"  
  
To Jack's astonishment, all three boys floated far above him. The boy in red grabbed him by his robe and looked him in the eye. "You're looking at it!" All three of them immediately started punching him and throwing him around. They were terrible strong for small boys!  
  
Jack did not do much to fight back since he had made many promises to respect children. Yet, he was sure a rebuke would set them straight. "You dishonor your parents! Had they not taught you to not fight?"  
  
"Oh, our parent tells us to fight all the time!" the kid in blue answered.  
  
"You should know," the boy in green answered. "You're very familiar with him."  
  
"He adopted all of us, once he saw we were special, and made us even better," the red kid explained. "But he sent us back to our old home town, just so we could meet ya."  
  
Jack glared. "Aku." They began shooting eye beams at him, but he unsheathed his sword and deflected them.  
  
"Uh-uh!" the red kid scolded. "Father told us of a little promise you made before you became a samurai.  
  
The boys surrounded him and recited a part of his own creed. "I will not raise my sword against a child, no matter how much trouble they may cause me. For the children are innocent and misguided, and they are honored by my ancestors. If I ever hurt a child, may I forever be shamed. Thus I swear."  
  
"True. I did take that oath," Jack answered, "but it said nothing about the children of a demon."  
  
"Well, even if you did fight us with your sword, I bet you can't take on all of us." The red kid whistled, and nearly fifty boys of different ages, all dressed the same way, appeared.  
  
Jack dropped his sword. There was no way he could defeat all of these children. He must find a way to defend himself at least or trick them and lead them away.  
  
Someone was watching him from the strange house. "I feared this would happen. There's only one thing to do."  
  
He pulled out an antique invention from the old lab and put it in the new one. He set it on a platform and turned on its adjacent computer for analysis.  
  
OBJECT: Time Portal  
  
SEND TO: Professor Utonium's attic  
  
TIME: April 31, 2002, 4:00 P.M. 


	4. The Past of the Future Comes Alive in th...

Chapter 4: The Past of the Future Comes Alive in the . . . Present?  
  
"Check this out!" Blossom said. "It's a Grecian urn, and it has Japanese characters on it!"  
  
"Let me see," Buttercup said examining the writing. "It says, 'Beauty is truth, truth beauty. That is all you know and all you need to know.'"  
  
"Wow! So that's where it comes from."  
  
Suddenly, they heard a loud clatter.  
  
"Girls, be careful!" the professor reprimanded. "Remember, those are antiques!"  
  
"Wasn't us, Professor," Buttercup said.  
  
"Well, what else could it be?" He walked over to the direction the sound came from and gasped. "My time portal! Now, why did I put it up here instead of in the lab?"  
  
"Maybe you thought it was just too dangerous?" Blossom suggested.  
  
"Yes, but it's still useful. And look at what has happened to it: all dusty and rusty and cobwebby and just falling apart. Girls, you keep looking on your treasure hunt. I'm going to the lab to give this thing a little tweaking real quick."  
  
"Sure thing, Professor!" Buttercup saluted.  
  
Bubbles came up from the pile of stuff. "Look at all the pretty drawings I found!"  
  
Blossom looked at it. "That looks like a haiku written in . . . hieroglyphics!"  
  
The time portal was in bad shape. Mainly the knobs were loose or falling off. The Professor did a lot of tightening, welding, banging, and all kinds of fixing for a good while to get it back in shape. "Shew!" he said after nearly half an hour of work. "Well, let's see if it's in working order again." He turned it on and saw static through the screen fine. He picked up the claw device laying on the counter that he made especially for the time portal. He didn't even realize it, but he brushed against the year knob, and it kept spinning and spinning until it stopped at a date that was nearly off the chart.  
  
"Let's see what we get."  
  
  
  
Jack had managed to escape all the boys and was hiding behind what appeared to be a volcano with an observatory built on top of it. He was standing there, trying to catch his breath and devise a plan to take the boys by surprise. Suddenly, something went "Clamp!" An iron claw had grabbed onto the hilt of his sword.  
  
"No! Not my sword!" Jack grasped the hilt and pulled his way.  
  
  
  
"Oh man, I got something big!" The Professor pulled in his direction with all his might.  
  
  
  
The claw was indeed formidable. Jack tried to pry it off, but it would not let go. It was starting to pull the sword out of its sheath. Jack couldn't take any chances. Despite how sharp it was, Jack grabbed the blade.  
  
  
  
"It's stuck! I hope it doesn't break!" The more the Professor pulled, the more whatever was on the other line pulled back. It was a tug-of-war game across time. Finally, the professor managed to strap himself into a strength increaser, one of his latest inventions. It made him able to finally pull the claw through the fifth dimension portal, then he relied on his own strength again.  
  
  
  
Jack was pulled into the sky, like a fish on a fishing line. "WHOA!" he screamed. He was drawn into a black and white portal. He recognized this, the dizziness, the nausea, the disorientation. "Can it be? I am traveling through time again?" he thought.  
  
  
  
"Just a little more! Almost have it!" Finally, it came flying out of the portal. It was so much force, it caused the Professor to fall on his back. He did not see Jack flying over him and landing on the other side of the lab. When the Professor came to, he saw a sword lying on the floor. "All that over a sword? It better had been stuck in a rock or something."  
  
He reached for it to do a little more analysis when he saw another hand reach it. Startled, he withdrew. So did the other hand. The Professor looked up to see for the first time a man who looked almost exactly like him. The Professor ran his hands down his neat, white lab coat. The man did the same, only he was wearing a white robe. The Professor straightened his black tie. The man did the same, even though he didn't have a tie there. The Professor felt his breast pocket to see if his pens were still there. The man did the same, although there were not any pens or pocket there. The Professor ran his hand against his hair, which still felt as flat as ever. The man did the same, but a tiny ponytail or something boinged up. The Professor blinked. The man blinked his almond-shaped eyes. The Professor rubbed his chin with his right hand, feeling all the straight 90-degree angles. The man also rubbed his chin, which was just a little bit rounder. The Professor stood. The man also stood. They were about the same height. They stared at each other.  
  
"What trickery is this?" Jack thought.  
  
"What have I been smoking this morning?" the Professor thought.  
  
They both looked down. "Well, there's one difference. He's wearing sandals, and I'm wearing boots. Oh goodness! One's untied!"  
  
The Professor immediately knelt down. "NO!" The man grabbed the sword, flipped, and pointed it at the Professor. "I do not know who you are, but you will not take my sword!"  
  
"Easy, easy!" the Professor exclaimed. "I'm just tying my shoe. So this isn't some kind of strange mirror."  
  
"No," the man answered. "Who are you then? Are you the man I become?"  
  
"That's a good question." After tying his boot, the Professor looked up at him. He snapped his fingers. "Wait a minute! You're a samurai, aren't you?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"You wouldn't happen to be the Lost Son of the Emperor, would you?"  
  
"I had not heard this title in ages. How is it that you know my past?"  
  
"Hold that thought. There are some people you gotta meet. Girls! Gir--Oh no! Oh no!"  
  
"What is wrong?"  
  
"It just occurred to me. If you're here, then I'm the reason why mysteriously disappeared! And with the time portal in such bad shape, I don't know if I can successfully send you back!"  
  
The man shook his head. "Do not trouble yourself. It was not of your doing."  
  
"No?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Cool. Girls! Girls! Come to the lab quick!"  
  
"What is it, Professor?" Blossom yelled back.  
  
"When I was messing with the time portal, I happened to find the best artifact of all!"  
  
"Alright! Let's see!" Buttercup answered. The girls flew in and gasped in amazement as they came before the samurai.  
  
"Wow! It's really you!" Buttercup cried.  
  
"We've heard so much about you!" Bubbles squealed.  
  
"And it makes it that much nicer to meet you!" Blossom greeted.  
  
But Jack heard their words and looked at them closely and assumed they were in the same dealings as those strange boys. "DEMONS!" he yelled and drew his sword.  
  
The girls immediately assumed that they were mistaken, and they fought back. Buttercup didn't like it, though. "This is gonna hurt me more than it does you," she announced before kicking him.  
  
It was when he struck Bubbles when he stopped. She burst into tears. "Why do you fight us?" she squeaked. "We didn't do anything to hurt you!"  
  
In fear, the samurai fell on his knees and bowed low before Bubbles. "Please forgive me. I have broken a sacred samurai vow, and I will ever be shamed by my ancestors if you do not forgive me."  
  
"OK," Bubbles answered now smiling.  
  
"We'll put this behind us for now," Blossom answered. "Let's meet each other first. What's your name? It can't just 'Lost Son of the Emperor.'" Buttercup looked intently at him, waiting for a really cool Japanese name to come out.  
  
The samurai looked off in the distance. "They call me Jack."  
  
"Jack?" Buttercup snickered, then giggled, then fell on the floor laughing. "Oh man! Jack the Samurai! That is so . . . oh man!" Then finally she contained herself and said, "No really, what's your name?"  
  
"Buttercup!" Blossom and Bubbles scolded.  
  
"I fail to see the humor," Jack said confused.  
  
"Well, its so, so, American! What kind of name is Jack for a samurai anyway?"  
  
"It is a name given to me by people who have esteemed me and admired my work, a name most honorable for a warrior."  
  
"I think Jack is a nice name," Bubbles said. "So there."  
  
"Well, I guess if you like the name 'Jack,' that's fine," Buttercup said. "Your real name's probably too hard to pronounce anyway."  
  
"Well, we're pleased to meet you, Jack," Blossom nodded. "I'm Blossom."  
  
"And I'm Bubbles," Bubbles said innocently.  
  
"And I'm Buttercup, your first number-one fan!" Buttercup boldly stated.  
  
"We're the Powerpuff Girls!" they all said together.  
  
"Well, I am honored," Jack answered, "but who is that?" He pointed to the Professor who was working on the time portal again.  
  
"Oh, that's Professor Utonium," Blossom answered. "He created us."  
  
"Created you? Do you not have a mother?"  
  
"Nope, just the Professor!" Bubbles grinned. Then she looked at Jack, then at the Professor, then at Jack again. She screamed and made them stand next to each other. "You DO look exactly alike! Girls look!"  
  
The girls looked at both of them in wonder. Jack shook his head. "Please! How do you know so much about me?"  
  
"Well, Jack," the Professor explain, "I was telling the girls earlier how you're my great-great-great . . . oh, I don't know anymore-grandfather."  
  
"You mean, I am your ancestor?"  
  
"Yes, that's right."  
  
"I hardly see how that is possible."  
  
The Professor looked again at the time portal. "Oh no, this isn't possible! This thing is really messed up!"  
  
"What is it, Professor?" Blossom asked.  
  
"Jack is supposed to be our ancestor, which means logically I should have gotten him from the ancient past. But according to this machine, I got him from the distant, distant, distant future!"  
  
"Once again, it is not a fault on your part," Jack answered. "I was in the future."  
  
"But how could that be?" Blossom asked.  
  
"Is that why you disappeared?" Buttercup asked.  
  
"Yes, it is. You see, I had spent all my life training to face Aku. When the time came, I fought valiantly and true. I had nearly won, but Aku opened a portal in time that threw me into the future, where he ultimately rules the universe. I had made it my quest to find my way home, to my own time, that I may undo the future that Aku has caused."  
  
"Awesome!" Buttercup whispered. "But who is this Aku guy?"  
  
Jack looked in surprise. "You do not know?"  
  
"Nope. Never heard of him," Blossom answered.  
  
"Sorry to disappoint you, Jack," Bubbles said.  
  
"I am hardly disappointed. It is a ray of hope. He is not as strong as I know him to be. Aku is the name of my enemy."  
  
"The dark force of evil?" Blossom said.  
  
"The very same. What I do not understand is how you could be my ancestors. I have no brothers or sisters, nor do I have a family of my own."  
  
"Perhaps that's another ray of hope. Maybe you will make it to your own time, destroy Aku, and raise your own family in peace."  
  
"It might be so! You are indeed wise, Blossom."  
  
"Well, not exactly wise, but I've read a few detective books."  
  
"Yes. And if this is truly a time machine, my quest has come to an end, at last."  
  
"Well," the Professor said grinning bashfully, "it still needs some work. Let me fix it up for a little while, then we'll talk."  
  
Jack looked down, disappointed. "Very well."  
  
Suddenly, the small phone in the lab went "Buzz! Buzz!" "It's the Hotline!" Blossom said. "I'll get it! Yes, Mayor? Mojo Jojo? Sure, we'll be right there! Girls, Mojo Jojo is terrorizing downtown. Let's roll!"  
  
The girls nearly flew off. "What is going on?" Jack cried.  
  
"We're saving the world and stuff," Bubbles answered. "Wanna come?"  
  
"Well, I do not know how helpful I would be."  
  
"You'll be a big help!" Buttercup said. "I wanna see everything you can do! Come on!"  
  
"Sure, you can come!" Blossom answered. "Just make sure you keep up."  
  
"I shall do my best." He ran after them as fast as he could as they flew downtown. 


	5. The Samurai and the Monkey

Chapter 5: The Samurai and the Monkey  
  
The girls made it downtown first. Mojo was indeed running amuck, just doing what he usually does: blowing up buildings and whatnot with his high- tech gadgets. They flew in.  
  
"Not so fast!" Blossom ordered.  
  
"Mojo," Buttercup continued.  
  
"Jojo!" Bubbles concluded.  
  
"Oh, Powerpuff Girls, I am so scared," Mojo mumbled.  
  
"Well, you should be!" Buttercup announced. "We got a secret weapon!"  
  
"Buttercup!" Blossom whispered  
  
"Oh, you mean Ja--" Bubbles started to stay, but Blossom clamped her mouth shut.  
  
"We don't have to bring him into this!"  
  
"Yes we do!" Buttercup whined.  
  
"Oh, so you made your secret weapon a he? Well, it does not matter what your secret weapon is. Even if you had it, it will do you no good. It will be useless, because I shall win! And the winner shall be me, MOOOOOOOOOOOOOJOOOOOOOOO JOJO! Ha ha ha! Ha ha ha ha ha!"  
  
Then the fighting commenced. It was all the same, Blossom putting her plans into action, Buttercup demonstrating her brute strength, and Bubble just being Bubblevicious! Jack finally caught up and watched the girls, amazed at what they could do.  
  
Buttercup spotted him. "Hey Jack, come on!"  
  
"Look out," Jack mouthed to her.  
  
"What?" As she let her guard down, Mojo got to her.  
  
"I have captured you! You are not with your sisters anymore. You can not get out! You are mine! I laugh at your misfortune, because I am evil, I am bad, I am MOOOOOOOOOOOOJOOOOOOOOOOOO JOJO!"  
  
Jack shook his head. Immediately, he leapt out in front of the girls, drew his sword, and pointed at Mojo. "Only a fool speaks in many vain words what he could say in a few."  
  
Mojo was secretly insulted, but he wanted to cut back with an insult. "Ha ha ha ha ha! This is your precious secret weapon, girls? Your Professor? In a bathrobe? With a butter knife?"  
  
"I assure you, this is no butter knife." With a loud war cry, he charged at Mojo and fought with everything he had. Mojo shot at him with lasers beams and everything, but Jack dodged it all.  
  
Buttercup's eyes were glued on Jack's technique the whole time. "Oh, he's the best yet!"  
  
Mojo was completely incapacitated. "This is for hurting the little ones!" Jack announced. He held his sword up high, and Blossom grabbed it in the nick of time.  
  
"That's good, Jack, that's ok. The police will take it from here."  
  
"The police?"  
  
"Yeah, they'll put him in jail," Bubbles answered.  
  
"But he could escape again."  
  
"Yeah, and when he does, we'll be back to get him!" Buttercup said heroically.  
  
Jack then and there decided it was for the best. The police in Aku's time are only concerned with Aku's definition of "justice," which is more or less the exact opposite of what it should be.  
  
They went back home slower than how they came, giving them more time to talk. "I must say, little ones," Jack told them, "I am impressed that you use your unique abilities for good. The other children I met earlier had similar abilities, but they used them for evil."  
  
"Other children?" the girls said in unison.  
  
"Is that why you attacked us?" Blossom said.  
  
"Yes. I met these children who looked much like you but claimed to be sons of Aku."  
  
"They were boys?" Buttercup asked.  
  
"Come to think of it, yes. They all were boys."  
  
"Sounds like the Rowdyruff Boys!" Blossom said.  
  
"Yeah," Bubbles nodded.  
  
"But we beat 'em good over a year ago!" Buttercup argued. "Why would they be in the future?"  
  
"We're going to have to think about it more," Blossom said. "Right now, let's show Jack that cool stuff we found in the attic."  
  
The girls readily agreed on this, but when Blossom opened the door, disarray greeted them. The whole place looked like a tornado came through.  
  
"Professor, what's going on?" Blossom called in. "Professor? Professor? Professor?!?!"  
  
The girls split up and looked all around the house. Everywhere indicated struggle, but the Professor was nowhere to be seen.  
  
The girls cried in despair the only conclusion: "HE'S BEEN KIDNAPPED!" 


	6. Operation Decoy

Chapter 6: Operation Decoy  
  
Oh no! The Professor's kidnapped? What are we going to do? THE WORLD'S ENDING!!!!  
  
  
  
"Spread out and search for clues!" Blossom ordered. "I'll take the lab and the garage. Bubbles, you look in the main floor and our room. Buttercup, you check the attic."  
  
"And Jack, you just come if we need you," Buttercup added.  
  
The girls checked around for about fifteen minutes, then came back to the living room. "Nope," Buttercup said.  
  
"Nothing," Bubbles said.  
  
"No clues here," Blossom said, but then she looked in shock. "HUDDLE!" she ordered. All the girls crowded around her. "You mean no fingerprints, no note, no nothing?"  
  
"Uh-uh," Bubbles shook her head.  
  
"And we looked with microvision and x-ray vision and everything," Buttercup said.  
  
"Well, there was clearly a struggle. Maybe the kidnapper tore up the place looking for the Professor," Blossom deducted.  
  
"Then why aren't there any fingerprints?" Bubbles asked.  
  
"I don't know. We're going to have to conduct our own investigation around town."  
  
"How can we do that all by ourselves?" Bubbles cried.  
  
"Yeah. Remember our curfew? 7:30 probably isn't too far away," Buttercup said.  
  
"And we don't have a babysitter."  
  
"Are you kidding? We got Jack!" Buttercup starting doing this disco move and singing quietly, "Jack is the man! Samurai Jack! Can you dig it?"  
  
"Hey, that's it!" Blossom said. "I got a great idea. See, we're gonna . . . and Jack's gonna . . . and then . . . "  
  
  
  
Hey, speak up girls! I wanna hear!  
  
  
  
"Wonderful idea!" Bubbles exclaimed. "I should have thought of that."  
  
"Are you sure it'll work?" Buttercup argued. "I mean, he's so used to--"  
  
"Trust me, Buttercup, it'll be fine," Blossom answered. "Now, let's do it." They broke up the huddle and turned to the samurai. "Jack, we need your help."  
  
"It would be a great honor to aid you little ones in finding your father," Jack answered. "What needs to be done?"  
  
"Come with us, and we'll show you." They led him up into a room they hardly ever visited--the Professor's room.  
  
  
  
Hey, I think I see where this is going!  
  
Ten minutes later . . .  
  
  
  
"Wow!" Blossom whispered.  
  
"It's amazing!" Buttercup mused.  
  
"Well, like I was saying all along, they look like twins," Bubbles answered.  
  
Standing in front of them was Samurai Jack, in black boots, a white overcoat with two black pens in the breast pocket, and a black tie. It looked a little more wrinkled, but other than that, Jack looked just like Professor Utonium. His sword was hidden underneath; same way as it was when he was Jackie the Blade. He looked very unsure of himself.  
  
"This does not feel right."  
  
"Not used to wearing ordinary clothes, huh?" Buttercup said.  
  
"No, it is not that. I have worn other garments if the need arose, or the culture demanded it. But becoming someone I am not? It feels like lying, or stealing the Professor's soul."  
  
"No, no!" Blossom said. "It's not lying, it's pretending. It's acting, and it's perfectly all right. People do it all the time!"  
  
"Yeah, Jack," Bubbles said. "Haven't you ever seen a play?"  
  
"Or, um, the theater," Blossom quickly interjected, not sure if he would know what a play was.  
  
Jack thought for a moment. He vaguely remembered when he was about 10 going to see something like that. It was when he was learning Greek and philosophy in Athens. He got a day off to attend the Bacchus festival. He saw the entire Oedipus trilogy. He didn't understand it, but he liked it anyway. His Greek master made him leave before the lewd comedies started, though. "Yes I did, but it was a very long time ago."  
  
"Well, it's about the same thing! You're just pretending to be the Professor. He won't mind, and neither will anybody else once we let them know the truth. OK?"  
  
Jack sighed. "Very well."  
  
"Good! Now, there are some things that need adjustment."  
  
"What?" Buttercup argued. "He's perfect! What could we possibly change?"  
  
"Well, first, there's his skin complexion. I mean, the Professor is not as pale."  
  
"I'll get some peach paint!" Bubbles said and flew off.  
  
"I don't think we need it," Buttercup said.  
  
"How come?"  
  
"Well, he looks so much like the Professor, I don't think anybody's really going to notice. Besides, if anything, he look LESS pale that the Professor!"  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Well, think about it! The Professors spends nearly all his in his windowless lab. Jack, though, keeps walking from place to place in the hot sun, going on his quest. Jack's got a really nice Oriental tan!"  
  
"Well, now that you mention it, it is rather dark."  
  
Bubbles flew in by then. "Alright! Let's get painting!"  
  
"Thanks, Bubbles, but Buttercup and I were talking, and he doesn't really need it."  
  
"Awwwwe."  
  
"Whew!" Jack sighed. He didn't think he'd like being painted.  
  
"Next thing is that!" Blossom pointed at that tiny ponytail sticking up.  
  
"No problem!" Bubbles answered. She flew up, liked her palm, and smoothed it down. It boinged right back up. Bubbles tried again, and the same thing happened. She giggled and started playing with it. "Boing! Boing! Boing! Boing! Boing!" Jack looked irritated, but he didn't say anything.  
  
Buttercup, however, had no patience. "Oh, for crying out loud!" She flew up and whacked that little bit of hair off of his head. It fell to the floor in almost slow motion, and as soon as it was gone, Jack's hair fell down just a little past his shoulders.  
  
The girls couldn't contain themselves. They burst out laughing and began rolling on the floor. Jack just looked at them in confusion.  
  
"Where did all that hair come from, Jack?" Blossom gasped.  
  
"Yeah! You look like a girl!" Bubbles giggled.  
  
Jack didn't know how to argue. He happened to see himself in a mirror, and even he admitted that it looked ridiculous. He laughed just a little, and even blushed. Finally, everyone remembered the seriousness of this whole deal and got control of themselves. Jack fixed his hair the way it used to be.  
  
"All we really need is a barrette," Blossom said. "I'll get one!" She flew into her room, got a barrette and fixed it. "There we go."  
  
"Oh yeah, Blossom, that really fixed it," Buttercup muttered. "Like no one is going to notice that the Professor has a huge heart and rainbow on his head!"  
  
"OK, I stand corrected. All we really need is a hat."  
  
"Good! I have one!" Jack answered. He pulled out an Oriental straw and put it on his head.  
  
The girls looked at it for awhile. "Nope," Blossom shook her head.  
  
"Why not? It's my favorite hat."  
  
"Yeah, it's you," Buttercup said, "but it's not something the Professor would wear."  
  
"Except for Halloween," Bubbles conjectured.  
  
"Don't worry. We got lots of hats," Blossom said.  
  
And they did. They tried on everything they could find: a cowboy hat, a derby, a top hat, a baseball cap (forwards and backwards), a Santa cap, a ski hat, a beret, a sombrero, even a Cat-in-the-Hat hat that Buttercup won at the fair. Nothing seemed to work.  
  
"Just one more," Blossom said. It was a blue cap, much like the one that Jack wore when he was Jackie the Blade. Blossom put it on, and--  
  
"Whoa! Hello Frank Sinatra!" Buttercup cried.  
  
"Yeah, that looks good!" Blossom surmised.  
  
"Now, if anybody asks why you're wearing a hat, just say you're having a bad hair day," Bubbles advised. "Got that?"  
  
"I am having a bad hair day," Jack repeated.  
  
"That's the last thing," Blossom said. "Your voice is so smooth and young, and it sounds great. But the Professor is a lot older, and he sounds much more authoritative."  
  
Jack thought about that for a little bit. Then he cleared his throat a couple of times, then said in a really deep voice, "You mean, like this?"  
  
"Oh, wow!" Buttercup said. "Hey, Jack, repeat after me, 'If only you knew the power of the Dark Side.'" Jack gave her a funny look. "Too offensive? OK, we'll try a couple of lines later, 'Luke, I am your father!'"  
  
Jack wasn't sure about either. Who in the world was Luke? Oh well. "Luke, I am your father!"  
  
Buttercup giggled. "Wow! That was good!"  
  
"Now say, 'Simba, remember who you are!'"  
  
Who were these people? "Simba, remember who you are!"  
  
Bubbles laughed. "He sounds just like him!"  
  
"Yeah," Blossom snickered. "That is good, but the Professor doesn't sound like James Earl Jones."  
  
"Who is that?" Jack asked in his normal voice.  
  
"Hey, if we had time, we'd show you the movies," Buttercup answered. "But since we don't, we can't!"  
  
"Try doing it somewhere in between that voice and your normal voice, and you'll just about have it."  
  
Jack cleared his throat once again and spoke. "How about this?" It sounded like his regular voice, but just a little gruffer.  
  
"Close enough. Now, all we need is the Professor's ubiquitous pipe."  
  
"Ubiquitous? What kind of word is that?" Buttercup yelled.  
  
"It's just a big word that means seen everywhere. The Professor is almost never seen without it."  
  
They brought it to him, but he refused. "I do not smoke."  
  
"Well, the Professor is saying all the time that it's a nasty habit," Bubbles observed.  
  
"Your right," Blossom said. "Maybe people would be more open to talk if they think he's quitting.  
  
"OK, let's go over the plan. First, we'll go around town and talk to some of our friends. Maybe they'll give us a lead or two, like saying something like, 'Hey Professor, what were you doing with so-and-so a few hours ago?' They could give us a place to look. If they don't, or if their leads are empty, we'll go to Plan B. We'll go to all the big hideouts around town. Of course, we can rule out Mojo because he's in jail and he would leave a note. The three of us will hide, and Jack, you sneak out in the open. If they captured the Professor, they'll go out and get you for escaping. Then you can turn on them and do your samurai thing, but don't kill them! We'll let the police lock them up in jail. And while you're doing that, we'll go in and free the Professor. Sound good?"  
  
"I think I can do that." Jack nodded.  
  
"So where are you thinking about going, since we're not seeing Mojo?" Buttercup asked.  
  
"Well, there's the Gangrene Gang, Fuzzy Lumpkins, Princess, the Amoebae Boys, Sedusa, and if worse comes to worst, HIM."  
  
"Yeah, hopefully it won't go that far."  
  
"Can't we eat something first?" Bubbles whined. "It's suppertime, and I'm hungry!"  
  
"Hey, let's go out to eat! I bet Jack would love some great restaurant food."  
  
"Yeah, and going to a restaurant would help our investigation," Blossom nodded.  
  
"I know just the place that Jack would enjoy: Kariojari's, best sushi and Japanese steak in all town!"  
  
Jack's eyes lit up. "Sushi?"  
  
"No, the Professor's always talking about how expensive it is. How about Mako's Oriental Cuisine?"  
  
"Mako's? No, it has a funny smell! And it's really cramped!"  
  
"But it's a lot cheaper, and it's the same uncooked fish anyway!"  
  
"Don't talk about sushi that way!"  
  
Buttercup and Blossom got into a really loud argument from there. Bubbles just shook her head and looked Jack in the eye. "Jack, where do you want to go?"  
  
"No preference. Anywhere where I can get a full meal without bounty hunters breathing down my neck is fine. But I love sushi." Then he said a little louder so the fighting girls could hear, "And I think the Professor would prefer if we cost him the least money!"  
  
"Mako's it is!" Blossom said. "Alright everybody, Operation Decoy is go! Let's move!" 


	7. Interrogation

Chapter 7: Interrogation  
  
The Professor was tied to a chair. His kidnapper put a blindfold and a muffler on him, but somebody ripped them off suddenly. The Professor squinted at all the bright lights of several tongues of fire surrounding him. Soon after he got used to it, a gigantic being that seemed to be made entirely out of shadows rose up above him.  
  
"So, we meet again," the being snarled.  
  
"We-we do?" the Professor stuttered. "F-f-forgive m-me, sire, bu-bu-but I- I-I don't think I've ever s-s-s-s-seen anything quite as-s-s-s-s-s . . . im- im-impressive as you."  
  
"DO NOT TOY WITH ME!" the being yelled in his face. "I KNOW WHO YOU ARE! We first met over 2000 years ago."  
  
"Really? In-interesting. I-I-I-I don't recall being around t-t-t-2000 years ago."  
  
"Very well. Play innocent, you low human. See where it gets you. You have a cute solution to defeat me. Grow up here, learn the magic you mortals call 'science,' and devise three weapons to get the better of me instead of coming after me yourself. Well, you're soon about to see how flawed your plan is." The being paused here to laugh evilly. The Professor squirmed in his seat uncomfortably. "Stop that!" The being pointed his dark hand in the Professor's direction, and he was immediately knocked out.  
  
"What did you do?" Him asked.  
  
"Preparing him for hypnotism. I want to get into the memories of the Professor's past life to see how the samurai foiled my spells and had descendants."  
  
"I'm telling you, reincarnation does not exist! Wake him up and ask him questions about the girls, now!"  
  
"NO ONE ORDERS THE GREAT AKU!"  
  
"Must I remind you that this was my plan?"  
  
"Must I remind you who has seniority?"  
  
"Very well, you win. But I'm telling you, you're wasting your time."  
  
"Oh, I'm not wasting my time. I have mastered it."  
  
  
  
Back in the Chinatown part of Townsville--  
  
  
  
The girls were sitting at a tiny table, a little lower than a coffee table, on their knees with their shoes off, according to custom. They were enjoying hot tea and soup as they waited for the main course.  
  
"So, what are meals like where you're from?" Bubbles asked Jack.  
  
"Not enjoyable. I was really only served one good meal since I first came. Most food is either bland, sour, or very, very salty."  
  
"You mean, you never had anything sweet?" Buttercup asked.  
  
"No. Even the fruit does not taste as sweet as it did when I was a boy."  
  
"Well, Aku does sound evil enough to ban sugar," Blossom thought aloud. Then she looked up. "Hey, that's it! Aku banned sugar!"  
  
"What does this mean?"  
  
Blossom dropped her voice to a whisper. "You see, we're made out of sugar, spice, and everything nice."  
  
"Truly? I thought that was only a saying."  
  
"Well, it is, but the Professor took it literally to make the perfect girls."  
  
"That's us!" Bubbles cried happily.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"But which of these ingredients causes you to have special powers?" Jack asked.  
  
"Oh, that's Chemical X. The Professor accidentally added it in when he was trying to make us. Anyhow, what if the Professor's descendant in the time you came from wanted to make Powerpuff Girls to stop Aku?"  
  
"He couldn't!" Buttercup deducted. "He wouldn't have all the ingredients, if Aku banned sugar."  
  
"Or spice," Bubbles added.  
  
"And there is not much that is nice," Jack added.  
  
"Yeah. So say that descendant tried to make the alternative, the Rowdyruff Boys. I bet he would have no trouble finding the ingredients for them, whatever they are."  
  
"Well, if the adage is true, they would be made out of snips, snails, and puppy dog tails."  
  
"Ewwwww, snails!" Blossom grimaced.  
  
"Snips? Like underarm hair and toenail clippings? Yuck!" Buttercup said, disgusted.  
  
"Oh, the poor puppies!" Bubbles cried.  
  
"Yeah, I don't see any reason why Aku would ban something like that. So the future professor made Rowdyruff Boys and tried to make them nice. But they're so mean the left him and joined Aku so they could use their powers for whatever he wants."  
  
"That makes sense. But how are they defeated?"  
  
Their thoughts were interrupted here as the food was being brought in. Everybody was hungry (despite the soup, which didn't provide a lot of sustenance) and concentrated on eating. Poor Bubbles couldn't figure out her chopsticks. "I wish they gave us forks and spoons."  
  
"You hold them like this, see?" Jack showed her his chopsticks. She tried to position them in her own palm without a whole lot of luck. Jack attempted to help her, but he didn't have a lot of luck either. "It would greatly help if you had fingers."  
  
"Here, Bubbles. Hold it like this." Buttercup showed her, and that time she got it.  
  
After a while, some well-known customers came in. "Look!" Blossom whispered. "It's the Mayor and Miss Bellum." Jack turned around. He saw a man sit down who was clearly old but looked like a child, and a tall woman in a bright red dress with large orange hair, her back turned toward him. "This is our chance. Come on Jack, I mean Professor."  
  
"But what am I supposed to say?"  
  
"Just ask what's going on, and hopefully the rest will follow."  
  
"Hopefully?"  
  
By then, everybody was up and addressing them. "Hi Mayor! Hi Miss Bellum!" the girls said in unison.  
  
"Ooooh, Powerpuff Girls!" the Mayor shrieked. "And the Professor! What a treat!"  
  
The woman had her head buried in a large menu, so Jack still couldn't get a good look at her face. "Hi girls. Hello Professor. Nice hat," she said without even looking up.  
  
"Um, thank you," Jack answered, trying to remember his disguised voice.  
  
"Very nice hat," the Mayor commented. "Just felt like wearing a hat this evening?"  
  
"I, um, am having a bad hair day."  
  
"Oh, I know how that can be," Miss Bellum said.  
  
"Sounds like you have a little hay fever too, huh Professor?" the Mayor asked.  
  
"Yes, I suppose so."  
  
"Yeah, nasty bug going around. Maybe you could use a vacation from that dusty old lab. You deserve it, my good man." He pulled out four airplane tickets out of this pocket. "You just take these at any time, and go anywhere. Tell 'em I sent you."  
  
"Thank you, sir. I'm sure he'll appreciate them." Buttercup nudged his ribs. "I mean, I will--we will appreciate them."  
  
"Little confused, aren't you?" Everybody just laughed.  
  
They asked a few more questions, but they didn't offer any leads. So, they just finished up and paid from the meal. "Just use this card," Blossom said. "If you're the same guy, you should have the same handwriting." 


	8. Plan B Commences

Chapter 8: Plan B Commences  
  
And Jack's handwriting was much like the Professors, but he had some difficulty remembering English characters, and he wasn't really sure how to spell "Utonium." Blossom looked over his shoulder and whispered everything in his ear, even guided his hand as he wrote. The cashier looked suspiciously at him. Blossom just giggled. "You know being in a lab all day can do weird things to your brain sometimes."  
  
Next, they went to Malph's for a little grocery shopping. They were just really looking around, but Blossom knew that Miss Keane did her shopping usually on that night. They bumped into her several times when they usually do shopping. Jack asked her some questions, but she didn't offer any new information. They just ended up having a pleasant conversation about the girls in school.  
  
"Well, that's really all I had," Blossom said. "Let's go to Plan B."  
  
They headed over to the junkyard where the Gangrene Gang hung out. The lights were on, so the girls could see they were up to something.  
  
"All right, Jack, you pass by that side window. Look like your sneaking out. Try to keep your back to them," Blossom advised.  
  
"And if they come after you, let 'em have it!" Buttercup said.  
  
"Yes, girls. Good luck finding him." Jack walked out.  
  
The gang was laughing at Grubber, who was trying some new wacky faces. Suddenly, Grubber pointed out the window and spat, "Prpppppppppppth!"  
  
"What is it?" Ace said. They looked out the window. "Hey, that looks like the Powerpuff Girls' old man!"  
  
"Professor Utonium?" Arturo asked.  
  
"Yeah. Wonder what brings him out here?"  
  
"Who caressssssss?" Snake answered. "Let'sssssssssss ssssssssssssock it to him for creating the girlssssssssssss."  
  
"Sounds good to me, Snake. Come on, guys." He opened up the door. "Yo, Prof.! Where ya goin'? The party's just getting started!"  
  
"Indeed," Jack answered and drew his sword. He came at them and attacked before they understood what was going on.  
  
Ace just narrowly dodged Jack's attack. "Whoa! He's been working out."  
  
"Maria! Come to my aid!" Arturo pulled out what looked like a pocketknife and unsheathed a comb. He jumped around and said things like "Hiya!" and jabbed his comb all over the place. "Watch out, hombre, I got a black belt." But Jack cut the comb in half. "Aye aye aye, Maria! No problem, happens all the time." He quickly fixed it.  
  
"Jack is so awesome!" Buttercup whispered.  
  
"Yeah, but we have to find the real Professor," Blossom reminded her. "Come on."  
  
They flew in the back way. "Professor, it's us!" Bubbles whispered. No answer. They flew all around the shack, but there was no sign of the Professor anywhere.  
  
"We're gonna have to confront them," Blossom said. They flew outside.  
  
Jack was fighting Big Billy, but the more he tried to beat him down, the more it tickled Billy and he was laughing really loud.  
  
"Alright guys, where's the Professor?" Blossom demanded.  
  
"Duh, right here," Big Billy answered pointing to Jack.  
  
"Yeah, girls, are you blind or something?" Ace said. "The Prof.'s out here fighting with us."  
  
"And he'sssssssss really good," Snake answered.  
  
"Sure, like our Professor would know the ancient arts of the samurai," Buttercup answered, rolling her eyes.  
  
"Sure looks that way," Arturo answered.  
  
Blossom shook her head. "Let's go, Jack. He's not here." And they flew off, with Jack running after them.  
  
"Jack? Ain't that the Professor's first name?" Ace asked.  
  
"Don't know, man," Arturo asked.  
  
"Remind me never to get on hissssssssss bad sssssssssssssside," Snake commented.  
  
"Ppppppppprt!" Grubber answered.  
  
Our heroes headed for the next spot. "You gotta be careful with Fuzzy, Jack," Blossom warned. "He's a little territorial."  
  
"That's putting it mildly," Buttercup mumbled.  
  
Fuzzy was sleeping on his front porch, with "Joe" in his lap and a gun at his side. Jack wandered out in front of Fuzzy's front porch. The second he stepped on a twig, Fuzzy snapped awake and grabbed his gun. "GET OFF OF MY PROPERTY!" he demanded with a gunshot. Jack immediately deflected it with his sword. Fuzzy knew he was in trouble, but he fought back anyway. He kept firing, and Jack kept deflecting. "Dang, he's good," Fuzzy said to himself. The Professor wasn't there either.  
  
So they tried Princess' mansion. She was pretty irked that Jack set off her security alarm, which her father installed after the Powerpuff Robbery. The Amoebae Boys were just being their dumb old selves, but Jack found it hard to fight them since they were liquid. Jack almost lost against Sedusa, when her wacky hair grabbed his sword and pried it out of his hands. He still put up quite a fight and managed to knock her into the pool.  
  
None of them had the Professor.  
  
"I got to say, Jack," Buttercup commented, "you're the bomb!"  
  
"What? Where did that woman put an explosive device on me?" He frantically searched all around him. The girls just laughed.  
  
"Don't worry, Jack," Blossom chuckled. "That's just her way of saying that you're really good. It's a common figure of speech around here."  
  
"Very strange."  
  
"Yeah, it is when you think about it. Well, girls, that means the only one left to check is (gulp) HIM!"  
  
The other girls shuddered.  
  
"Who is he?" Jack asked.  
  
"He's the evilest of evil!" Bubbles whispered scared.  
  
"He maybe our version of Aku!" Buttercup answered.  
  
"But who is he? What is his name?"  
  
"We can't say it, Jack!" Blossom answered. "Saying his name could cause one to die of fright!"  
  
"This is no small potatoes villain, Jack," Buttercup added. "He'll really creep you out."  
  
Jack glared. "I fear no one."  
  
  
  
Meanwhile, Aku is trying out a little hypnotism on the Professor. And it seems to work. Oh, I hope he won't tell him anything.  
  
  
  
The Professor said in a monotone voice, "I was born in Townsville on--"  
  
"No you were not!" Aku yelled. "You were born in Tokyo in--"  
  
"--in the Imperial palace."  
  
"That's right. How long ago?"  
  
"Over 2000 years ago."  
  
"You see?" Aku sneered nudging Him. "It is a reincarnation."  
  
"This doesn't prove anything. You know hypnotism is so suggestible."  
  
"Quiet! Now, when we battled, what did I do?"  
  
The Professor answered, "You sent me into the future, where your evil rules the universe."  
  
"Good. I do finally rule the world."  
  
"Yes. Must get back to my own time. Aku is so evil. They call me Jack."  
  
"So how did you foil my spell and went back through time?"  
  
"I did not. A big claw came out of the sky and pulled me through time to a lab. This is not home."  
  
"What? This does not make sense. Did some other Professor bring him from the past and made him a professor?"  
  
"Don't you see, Aku? You suggested that he's a samurai from the past who's reincarnated! His subconscious is answering the best it can with the information it gets."  
  
"But I never said anything about sending him to the future!" He yelled at the Professor, "What are you saying, man?"  
  
"Professor Utonium brought me to his time with his time portal. He says I am his ancestor. He can send me to my own time. He has nice girls."  
  
Aku's eyes grew wide with anger. "The samurai is in the present!" 


	9. Mystery Solved, Sort Of

Chapter 9: Mystery Solved, Sort Of  
  
Our heroes headed down to the strange hideout of Him. All the lights were out, and no life could be seen anywhere. "Isn't that weird?" Blossom said. "He's not home."  
  
"He could be asleep," Bubbles suggested. "I mean, it's nearly midnight here, and I'm sleepy!"  
  
"I don't think he does sleep. Remember when he turned Townsville all against us? Well, when did he do that?"  
  
"Late at night!" Buttercup remembered.  
  
"Yeah. Same as when the Beatalls first formed. That was late at night. But I don't know. Maybe he does sleep. Jack, you're gonna have to check it out."  
  
"No!" Buttercup said. "As good as Jack is, he can't take on Him all by himself. We're going in with him to give him backup."  
  
"Uh-uh!" Blossom shook her head. "We gotta stick with the plan, like all the other times."  
  
"Blossom is right," Jack told Buttercup. "This demon can not be any eviler than Aku. If you are frightened, though, I will try to find the Professor myself this time."  
  
"Oh no," Blossom answered. "We're going to be out here, waiting on you. Just signal us when you find out anything."  
  
"And if you run into Him, scream really loud!" Bubbles told him.  
  
"For the last time, I am not afraid."  
  
"You should be," Buttercup muttered.  
  
Jack shot her an offended look and went in. He kept his hand on the hilt of his sword, just in case. He found a back door that was cracked open. "Rather careless demon," he thought. The place looked modern but had large cliffs floating in midair and a very strong smell of sulfur, the usual creature comforts for a demon. Many rooms were littered with pink feather boas and exercise tapes. "I don't even want to know," Jack thought shaking his head. He never did see any signs of life, but suddenly he heard a scream.  
  
"Who's there?" he demanded. The scream didn't answer but kept screaming. Then Jack realized it sounded the same each time. He followed it into a small room that only contained a desk, and three very strange-looking boxes. One of those boxes had an odd, white stick on it. That box was doing the screaming. Then it stopped in mid-scream, and the box right beside it clicked on.  
  
"Hello," a very creepy, high-toned voice said from that box. "You've reached the residence of, (evil chuckle) well, you know. I can not come to the phone right now. Actually I won't be around for a while. I'm with an old (another evil chuckle) friend in Japan concocting my best scheme ever. If you really want to leave me a message, though, wait until the beep. I'll get in touch with you when the Powerpuff Girls are destroyed and my friend and I turn the world upside down! (Evil laugh) And that will probably be in about a week. Goodbye."  
  
Jack understood now. These boxes were things he had often heard of in Aku's world but had rarely seen. That first box was a device called a phone. The girls used one in the lab. Its screaming was its ring. The other box was designated to take messages if the person wasn't home to answer the phone. The final box was just his personal computer. But who could be trying to contact this demon at so late in the night? Jack listened closely.  
  
"Him? It is I, Mooooooooooojoooooooooooo Jojo! And I have escaped from my cell to my observatory to tell you very important things. I am aware that you are in Japan, but I refuse to pay the phone bill! First thing, your plan rocked! I did a lot of cool stuff in Townsville this afternoon while you were kidnapping the Professor."  
  
"So, Him was behind it," Jack thought.  
  
"However, the plan was not perfect. It had a flaw! A mistake, if you will. For how could you kidnap Professor Utonium if he was with the girls? Because he was fighting with the girls, and they were fighting with him. And he was crazy! He thought he was Japanese! But he was a good fighter. He nearly killed me for crying out loud! You should have seen it. The sword. The fighting. The arresting. The sword. The fighting. The arresting. The sw--"  
  
The box cut him off there. After a minute, the phone screamed again, but only twice this time, and the creepy message started again. It gave Jack some time to think. Of course, Mojo was talking about him. And Him was with some evil being in Japan. Aku was a strong probability, but there were several other demons and monsters which resided there. Even if it were Aku, what would he want with the Professor?  
  
Mojo came on again. "Good night, Him! Surely you could afford a little more space on your answering machine, for someone who's clear, concise, and to the point."  
  
Jack rolled his eyes. The monkey had not learned anything.  
  
"Anyway, the Professor was not at the lab. He was in downtown Townsville, and he thought he was a crazy samurai. Just wanted to let you know if you could not find the Professor. Good night. Oh, and give Aku my regards."  
  
"Aku!" Jack yelled. In sudden rage, he sliced the answering machine in half.  
  
He ran out and met the girls outside. "What's the word?" Blossom asked.  
  
"I know where the Professor is."  
  
"Good. Let's go."  
  
"He is not here! Him is responsible for his kidnapping, but He brought the Professor to Aku."  
  
"Oh no! Aku?" Bubbles cried.  
  
"Yes. This is not good. They are in Japan. What would he want with the Professor anyway?"  
  
"Hello? You look just like him!" Buttercup yelled.  
  
"Well, that's one motive," Blossom nodded. "I bet it has something to do with us too. But how in the world are we going to get to Japan?"  
  
The girls thought about it for a few seconds, but then they remembered. "The plane tickets!"  
  
"Huh?" Jack asked.  
  
"Jack, remember those tickets the Mayor gave you?" Blossom asked.  
  
Jack pulled them out of his breast pocket. "Yes, but weren't they meant for--"  
  
"There's no better time to use them. And airports are open 24 hours, right? If there's a fast flight leaving for Japan, let's go ahead and take it. I doubt they'll be much of a crowd."  
  
"But, you do not necessarily need them."  
  
"We don't, but you do!"  
  
"And I'm not flying all the way to Japan!" Buttercup demanded. "Not this late at night, anyway."  
  
"All right. We shall go." Jack stood up and took off the hat. "And this time, I have a plan." 


	10. Double the Hero

Chapter 10: Double the Hero  
  
The girls didn't have much time to pack, and they weren't planning on sightseeing anyway, this time at least. But they did go back to the house for just a little bit. Blossom helped Jack pack a few gadgets, gizmos, chemicals, and whatnot to help the Professor. Jack told the girls the basics of his plan, but not everything. He wanted to surprise them.  
  
It took a little while to get on an adequate flight than they would have liked, despite how late it was. Still, Jack was patient, and he helped the girls to be too. Bubbles fell asleep on his arm as they waited. Jack had to admit to himself, that was sweet. Maybe he would make a good father one day.  
  
All four of them fell asleep on the plane. Jack had a dream that he went back to his own time, and things were quiet and peaceful. Then those boys appeared. "There he is!" the kid in red yelled. Jack tried to run away, or get help from the villagers. Yet the boys surrounded him eventually. The three main boys flew in front of him. "We're gonna punch your lights out, and there's nothing you can do about it!" they said together. As they moved in to do just that, Jack woke up.  
  
"Those boys!" Jack cried. The girls were awake by then. "Little ones, how did you say you defeated those evil children who were like you?"  
  
"The Rowdyruff Boys?" Blossom asked. "You know, it was so long ago, I've been trying to remember myself. Let's see. They were so powerful, they almost had us."  
  
"Yeah," Buttercup said thoughtfully. "We almost died."  
  
"But the tears of the people of Townsville helped wake us up," Bubbles said.  
  
"It didn't fix our broken spirits, though," Blossom continued. "We were about to leave Townsville because we were beaten."  
  
"But then Miss Bellum came up with an idea, and it worked," Bubbles thought. "What was it?"  
  
The girls thought for a moment in silence. "I remember!" Blossom said. "We were nice!"  
  
"Nice?" Jack asked.  
  
"Yeah! See, that's the thing boys of our age fear the most, when girls are nice to them."  
  
"Nice how though?"  
  
Buttercup shuddered. "Oh, I was hoping he wouldn't bring that up!"  
  
Blossom blushed. "Well, we, ummmmmmmm--"  
  
Bubbles giggled.  
  
Jack smiled. "I think I see." He started rubbing his cheek, thinking about that big-eyed girl who chased crickets with him who left him with a kiss. "But why would they fear something like that?"  
  
"Well, cooties probably aren't a concern in your culture," Blossom said, "but it's a big social issue in our peer group."  
  
"We found out it's really nothing, though," Bubbles added. "It doesn't even make a whole bunch of sense."  
  
"But you know," Blossom said, "since those boys claim to be sons of Aku, probably any bit of kindness would do them in. I mean, they don't really know what a real father is like, and their hearts are probably filled with even more hate than the ones we met."  
  
"But why worry about them?" Buttercup asked. "As soon as we get the Professor out of this mess, he's going to finish fixing the time portal and send you back to your own time."  
  
"I do not know. Something tells me I must face them again. But you are right; we must concentrate on current matters." They discussed the plan again until the plane landed.  
  
  
  
Back at Aku's castle, the shapeshifter's still inquiring about the Samurai. Uh-oh, Him looks fed up with it all.  
  
  
  
"Look, we've been doing this all night. Or day, I don't even know even more. Why don't we ask anything about the girls? That's why I came up with this whole stupid plan in the first place!"  
  
"Very well, Mr. Know-It-All. You ask your stupid questions."  
  
"Thank you." He yelled in the entranced Professor's face. "Now, you listen to me! You are not the samurai! You are Professor Utonium. And you will tell me everything you know!"  
  
"I was born in Townsville," the Professor answered.  
  
"No, I wasn't finished! I meant everything you know about the girls!"  
  
"I wasn't even interested in sciences until one day I saw three perfect girls--"  
  
"Skip to the day you actually created them. What did you make them out of?"  
  
"Sugar, Spice, Everything Nice--"  
  
"Mental note: Outlaw sugar," Aku muttered. "Beef jerky for everyone. Oh dear, no more confectionery treats!"  
  
The Professor continued, "And I accidentally put in some Chemical X--"  
  
"Ahhhhh, so that's the secret ingredient," Him said silently. "Mojo knew it, but he wouldn't share."  
  
"And one drop of blood."  
  
"What? I never heard of that!"  
  
"It was another accident. When the vessel of Chemical X broke, the glass scratched my finger and one drop of blood fell into the concoction. That's when it exploded. I never talk about it because it is not an essential ingredient. It just put part of my genetics into them."  
  
"Well, that's nice and all, Professor, but tell us, how does one destroy the girls?"  
  
"Besides death by natural causes, there is only one way to destroy the Powerpuff Girls."  
  
"This is it! All we need to hear is in this whole bit. Aku, this hypnotism is a brilliant idea!"  
  
"Well, I--"  
  
"Say thanks later. Now, out with it man!"  
  
The Professor opened his mouth when an explosion was heard, and three voices announced, "Not so fast, Him and Aku!"  
  
"Can you come back later?" Him said. "We're kinda busy now."  
  
"No!" Blossom answered. "That's the whole reason why this is called a surprise attack."  
  
"That's quite alright," Aku answered. "We've been expecting you, Powderpuff Girls."  
  
The girls rolled their eyes. "No D! Just Powerpuff!"  
  
"Well, I know something that has a D: Finished, and that's what you and your pathetic country will be!"  
  
So, the girls and the villains started fighting.  
  
  
  
Hey, wait a minute! Where's Jack?  
  
  
  
Quiet, you! His secret plan, remember?  
  
  
  
Oh yeah.  
  
  
  
As the girls were fighting, Jack was sneaking over to the Professor. He cut the ropes with his sword. He wanted to fix the Professor's hair to look like his, but there wasn't enough hair to work with. Instead, he tied on a bit of Buttercup's hair in the same place and tried his best to make it look the same. Now, all he had to do was wake the Professor up. "Professor! Professor, awake!" Jack whispered loudly. Then as he looked closer, he saw the Professor was in a trance. He snapped his fingers, and the Professor snapped to attention.  
  
"What? Where am I? Jack? Where's that monster from earlier?"  
  
"Shhh!" Jack demanded. "Listen, Professor, do you want to be saved from Aku?"  
  
"This is Aku?"  
  
"Just answer me!"  
  
"Yes, of course I do!"  
  
"Then you must do everything I tell you to."  
  
"Yes sir!" the Professor saluted.  
  
"Now, I have some things to help you. Quickly, get these ready." Jack handed him some of the stuff from the lab.  
  
Meanwhile, the girls fight was continuing.  
  
"Aku, I think you need to chill!" Blossom announced. So saying, she blew out her ice breath. It worked for a while, but Aku's flaming eyebrows thawed his head, and he quickly broke out.  
  
Him attacked Bubbles, but she quickly screamed. The vibrations shook the villains back. After they got their bearings, Aku glanced at where the Professor used to be. "The Professor's escaped!"  
  
"How can that be?" Him asked. "The girls are over here, and--there he is!"  
  
"You won't get away so easily!"  
  
"Come and get me!" the Professor beckoned.  
  
So the demons chased after them, but he proved to be a fast runner. He even flipped a couple of times. Finally, Aku clasped his hand over him. It looked like he won, but--  
  
"Too slow, Joe!" a voice cried from above. The Professor was standing on a higher cliff.  
  
"Wow!" Blossom said in feigned surprise. "How did he do that?"  
  
"I know! I know!" Bubbles cried, but the other girls quickly covered her mouth.  
  
The villains tried to chase him from up there, but he ran and then disappeared.  
  
"Where'd he go?" Him asked.  
  
"There he is!" Aku said. He was leaping back down to the ground. They went after him again, but once again lost him.  
  
"I'm surprised at you!" the Professor called from the other side of the room. "You who are immortals should be superior in athletic ability!"  
  
"Don't you dare taunt me!" Aku yelled. He watched the Professor run, but didn't go after him this time. Then he spotted them, the Professor giving a high five to a look-alike. "Aha!"  
  
The two looked startled, but only for a second. Then they glared and started circling their enemies.  
  
"There are two of them?" Him asked.  
  
"Look closer, at their hair." Aku said. "It's the samurai side."  
  
"You and your stupid ideas of reincarnation and hypnotism! Look what you did!"  
  
"What I did? You're the one who just now got him back to being the Professor!"  
  
"Wait, maybe it isn't our fault. Didn't you say that the samurai has made it back to the present? You never told me they looked so alike."  
  
"That's why I thought it was a reincarnation! Don't you know anything about reincarnation?"  
  
"I keep telling you, it does not exist!"  
  
"Him is correct," one of the Professors answered. "One of us is the Professor."  
  
"And one of us is the samurai," the other added.  
  
The two of them stood back to back and looked at the demons. "Which is which?" they said together.  
  
"Who cares?" Him answered. "We're going to destroy you both anyway."  
  
"You'll have to catch us first," one of the Professors said. So saying, they leapt out of the way. Once again, they lead the demons on another crazy chase.  
  
"Wow!" Blossom whispered. "Jack did a good job. I can't even tell which is which."  
  
"I can, kinda," Bubbles said softly.  
  
"He even got the voice thing right finally," Buttercup noticed.  
  
"Well, I helped him a little bit with that," Blossom grinned.  
  
Aku had one of them cornered, and it looked like he was about to change into something. Before he could, though, the Professor dropped something that let out a purple, musty-smelling fog. Surprisingly, it put both demons into coughing fits. "What is this stuff?" Aku gasped.  
  
"This chemical can keep a caterpillar from morphing into a butterfly in its chrysalis," the Professor answered. "And it will keep you from changing into so many creatures."  
  
"So you must be the Professor!" Him pointed out.  
  
"Am I, or do I just have his equipment?" the Professor quipped.  
  
Aku screamed. "You shall pay dearly for this taunting!"  
  
The chase continued. After some time, one of them tripped and hurt his leg. "Oh no!" the girls cried.  
  
"I know Jack told us not to interfere, but we gotta help now!" Buttercup said.  
  
"Agreed, let's go!" They flew in, and the look-alike came up too.  
  
Aku smiled evilly and towered over them. "I got you right where I want you."  
  
The look-alike with the hurt leg stood up and pulled out a sword. "Same here," he said in Jack's voice. With a loud battle cry, he charged at Aku and struck him with the sword.  
  
Aku screamed. "The sword!" he cried.  
  
Then he charged at Him and did the same. "Oh, that smarts!" Him cried.  
  
Aku was clearly retreating, but he glared at his attacker. "This isn't over, samurai! We shall meet again! That goes for all of you! And all of you, GET OUT OF MY SIGHT!!!!!!!!" With that cry, he shot forth his hand and sent all the girls, both Professor look-alikes, and speeding away through a portal. It wasn't through the fifth dimension, but it still wasn't a pleasant trip.  
  
  
  
Oh dear! Where are they all going? I hope our girls make it out OK. 


	11. Get Back and Epilogue

Chapter 11: Get Back  
  
Luckily, they all landed safely in Townsville. As soon as they reached there, Him's eyes flashed as he looked at both Professors. "I still don't know which of you is which, but you make me very, very mad!" He went up to attack, but then the wound from the sword made him stop and bend over. He glared. "I'll be back, girls. Rest assured, I'll be back!" With that, he disappeared.  
  
"Wow!" Buttercup said and ran over to the attacker with the sword. She gave him a big hug. "Jack, you're so awesome! You took on Aku! Oh man, I'll never forget this!"  
  
"Uh, Buttercup," Blossom said, "I hate to break it to you, but that's not Jack."  
  
Buttercup laughed. "Very funny, Blossom. It's gotta be Jack. He's got the sword and the know-how to take on Aku."  
  
But Bubbles flew quickly up to the attacker and tackled him with a hug. "I'd recognize my Professor any day."  
  
"But-but it can't be!" Buttercup cried. He's got Jack's voice, Jack's swords, Jack's looks--"  
  
But as she spoke, the other look alike took off his lab coat to reveal samurai robes. Buttercup looked at the two in disbelief. Jack just smiled mischievously.  
  
The real Professor took out some of microphone in his mouth and gave Jack back his sword. "Thank you so much for letting me borrow this."  
  
Jack bowed. "It was an honor fighting with you."  
  
"I-I-I-I still don't understand."  
  
"Little one," Jack answered, "my plan was actually a test. Several tests. It is too complex for me to explain, but I mainly wanted to see how you measure up as my descendants, and you passed tremendously."  
  
"But-but how--"  
  
"Oh, several ways," the Professor answered. "Strength and speed increasers, voice modifiers, agility boosters, and Jack helped me conceal them all so well."  
  
"They were all old components of the Powerprof suit the Professor made so long ago," Blossom explained.  
  
"So with all that stuff, the Professor can fight like Jack?" Buttercup said. "Cool!"  
  
"Now, don't get any ideas, Buttercup. I'm not going back to my superhero days. I work best as a Professor and father. And right now, I got to get back to that time Portal."  
  
So he went in and worked. Jack and the girls finally got to talk more about each other's adventures, until the Professor called Jack back. They discussed getting Jack back to his own time, but it did not look good.  
  
"I'm sorry Jack, but without any specifics like the exact year that you are from, I can't send you back to your own time. The best I can do for the time being is send you back to the time from which you came."  
  
Jack hung his head. "I understand."  
  
The Professor smiled. "But always know that I will continue to work on it. I'll make my time travel technology better, and once I find the way back, I'll let you know one way or another."  
  
"With all of my heart, I thank you," Jack replied looking up. He put his hand on the Professor's shoulder. "I have every confidence in you. You truly have the heart of a samurai, and you will always leave our family a wonderful legacy. In the words your girls taught me, you, Professor, you have an explosive device on you."  
  
"WHAT?!? WHERE?" The Professor searched all over him the same crazy way Jack did a while ago. The girls just looked at him and laughed.  
  
  
  
Oh, now I see the resemblance! Ha ha! Keep the samurai spirit alive, Professor!  
  
So, once again, the day is saved thanks to the Powerpuff Girls, but mostly thanks to the best samurai in the universe, Samurai Jack! The E--  
  
  
  
Wait! I'm not done yet!  
  
  
  
Hey, who's the narrator here?  
  
  
  
You are, but I'm the one telling this story. I mean, you want to know how Jack beats the Rowdyruff Boys, right?  
  
  
  
Well, yeah, I guess I do. You can put in an epilogue, I guess.  
  
  
  
Thank you.  
  
  
  
Epilogue  
  
"Calm down, Professor!" Buttercup said. "He means you're the bomb!"  
  
"Oh. I knew that."  
  
The laughter subsided as the girls turned to Jack. "So, you'll be able to take on the Rowdyruff Boys ok?" Blossom asked.  
  
"I think so," Jack answered. "After all you told me, I have a few ideas about what to do."  
  
Bubbles began to cry. "Oh, don't go, Jack! Please stay with us! We just started getting to know each other!"  
  
"Don't cry, little one," Jack said. "You are breaking my heart. I must go."  
  
"But we'll miss you so much!" Buttercup sniffed.  
  
"We are tied by blood. I will never really leave you, for I will always be a part of you. And since I met you, you will always be a part of me. I will never forget you." He could see their sorrow was not stopping, so he kissed each one of the girls on their foreheads. "Goodbye, little ones."  
  
The Professor sadly turned on the time portal, and Jack stepped in. They all watched him until they couldn't see him anymore. They watched the portal fold in on itself and looked closely at it until the indicator went from "Occupied" to "Vacant." Jack made it through ok.  
  
"It's not fair," Buttercup sighed. "I know he'll always be a part of us. When he dies, he'll probably will always be watching us and all. But he never taught me anything, and I never got to really know him as a person."  
  
"Yeah," Blossom added. "We only watched him. I wish we knew more about it."  
  
"Girls," the Professor answered, "you gotta remember I'm the one closest related to him, and I learned the least about him. You girls are extremely lucky."  
  
"Yeah, but still--" Bubbles sobbed.  
  
The Professor grinned. "Listen, girls, I didn't tell Jack this, but I wrote down the coordinates of the time where we dropped him off. Maybe every once in a while, we can go and visit him. And if he doesn't object, maybe he can visit us."  
  
"OH BOY!" all the girls cried. They immediately cheered up.  
  
"Of course, we can't do it anytime soon, but I'll give it a little more thought. Now, why don't all of you go to the living room? I want to hear everything you and the samurai went through."  
  
"We'll be glad to tell it," Blossom said. Then the girls flew for the couch.  
  
"I'll be there in a moment. I just got to find my pipe. Oh, here it is." He picked up his pipe from the counter, but then he spotted something on the other side. "Wait a minute! That's my time portal!" It was there, a little dusty, but still in excellent condition. "But if it's here, then what's--"  
  
The Professor turned to the old time portal just in time to see it vanished. He stood there, mystified.  
  
  
  
RETURN MANAGED. TIME PORTAL RECEIVED.  
  
Professor Plutonium took the antique out of the new, improved time machine. Indeed, his ancestor fixed it well. How he wished things had changed. The new time machine made time travel more efficient and a little more comfortable, but it needed more specifics than ever. He ought to invent a mind reader that would tell the computer what era the time traveler was interested in visiting.  
  
"That reminds me," Professor Plutonium thought. He went to the top window and looked toward the ancient observatory.  
  
"There he is!" he heard Brick yell. He grabbed a telescope and looked closer.  
  
Jack threw something at Boomer, which Boomer caught with ease. "Excellent catch!" Jack smiled.  
  
"You think?"  
  
"Yes, you will make a wonderful addition to the team."  
  
Boomer smiled in kindness then suddenly blew up in a blue flash. The boys were surprised, but it only made them attack more fiercely. Every time, Jack complemented them and praised their methods. His kind advice was too much for them to take, and one by one they were defeated. Every once in a while, he grabbed a boy, tackled him or tickled him. That was too much as well. Soon, only Brick was left.  
  
"Why are you doing this?" Brick asked surprised.  
  
"Aku has been an awful father to you. I am gladly giving to you something you have been denied, but his evil has made it that it is too great for you. If love is the only way to defeat you, so be it." He came closer.  
  
"Don't do this! All my friends will see me!"  
  
Jack didn't listen but took the boy and his arms and rubbed his head, hard. Brick screamed and disappeared.  
  
Jack smiled with satisfaction. "I will make a good father one day," he said to himself. He sighed and walked on.  
  
Professor Plutonium took out his megaphone. "Hey you! Great job! I knew the girls would show you the way!"  
  
Jack couldn't quite hear everything he said, but he could see a man in a lab coat waving at him from the Powerpuff Girls' old home. He didn't look quite like Professor Utonium, but Jack knew this too was his descendant. He raised his hand in peace. "Thank you, Grandson. Thank you for everything," he called back. He walked back through New Townsville with a little bit more appreciation, but also a little more sadness. "My quest continues . . ."  
  
Professor Plutonium watched him leave and smiled. He looked at the girls' old room at an artifact hanging above their famous, three-colored bed. It wasn't until today that he really understood what it meant. It was an Oriental tapestry of the three girls, smiling from ear to ear, and being led by a samurai who was holding a sword, seemingly pointing the way. The Professor always assumed that the samurai symbolized Professor Utonium, their creator, but the caption and signatures just beneath the samurai's feet, all written in Japanese characters, always mystified him:  
  
"Domo arigato, Jack. Buttercup, Bubbles, Blossom"  
  
THE END  
  
(Sorry about the inconsistencies, grammar errors, unresolved plots, and whatnot, but you know, it's just a story. I want to thank everyone who kept up with it, especially Harry Gregory and Phoenix Feather. It was definitely fun to write. I'll probably do a few short Samurai Jack stories next. Hope to see you there. Thanks again!) 


End file.
